Folding cot



(No Model.)

0. J. BAKER.

FOLDING GOT.

No; 327,055. Patented Sep. 29, 1885'.

N. PKTERS, Molitbognphu, Walhingiun. DJ;

iJNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE,

CALEB J. BAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING COT.

September 29, 1885.

Application filed 4 5m 19, 1884. (No model.)

specification.

This invention. relates to improvements in folding cots in which the frame to which the fabric bottom is attached is mounted upon a supporting-base composed of lazy-tongs on each side of the cot, and connected by cross arms, as set forth inUnited States Letters Patent No. 228,920, granted me as joint inventor June 15, 1880. In the patent referred to the side rails of the fabric bottom are de tachable from the supporting-base and composed of several hinged sections, for the purpose of permitting said side rails tobe folded as compactly as possible, and with the supporting-base; but owing to the detachabilit-y, of these side rails and consequent care re quired in taking down and putting up the cot,

and besides the necessary unstability of the structure as a whole, it is desired to avoid these objections.

The primary object of my present invention is therefore to provide for a permanent connection between every portion of a fold ing-cot structure, and of such a character that it may be folded within a minimum space,

and at the same time have such structure of the greatest maximum stability and rigidity consistent with a folding function thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a connection between the cot-frame and its supporting-base that the strain upon the fabric bottom by the weight of the occu-, pant will exert a tension upon the entire structure,tending to render it correspondingly rigid andstable.

A still further object is to provide a connection between the extremities of the side rails and base of such a character that the lateral strain of the fabric upon the side rails composing the franiewill be distributed to several points along the length of the side rails, so as to relieve the flexible joints of its sections and prevent said rails from being bent or sprung out of their operative position;

and, finally, to provide certain details of con struction hereinafter described.

I attain these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective viewof a folding cot embodying my invention; Fig 2, a cross-section of the same taken through the central pivots of the lazy-tongs; Fig 3, aside elevation of my cot folded, but with the fabric bot-tom removed for the purpose of clea-rness, the dotted lines indicating the position of the frame in its extended position. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views. a

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The folding and supporting base of the cot is composed of lazy-tongs Aand B, arranged substantially parallel to each other and connected by crossed bars .C,which, like the lazytongs,are pivoted at their intersections by ordinary pivots. BarsC extend in a plane be low the lazy-tongs and form the legs .of the structure, and are joined at their lower end to the lazy-tongs by metallic hinges D, each halfof whichterminates in bolts which respectively pass through the lazy-tongs and the crossbars. Both of these hinge-bolts are provided with shoulders to b, which bear upon the respective niembersof the cot; but shoulder b is additionally provided with parallel projections 0, giving to the shoulder a staple like form for the purpose of embracing the cross-bars and relieving the hinge from a lateral strain liable to split said bar, which 1ia bility isincreased owing to the staplebolt passing through the bar from edge to edge.

The upper extremities of the cross-bars at the ends of the cot are flexibly secured to the lazy-tongs by means of T-bolts E, the stems of which pass through the lazy tongs and are upset on a suitable washer, and the arms of these bolts are pivoted in a plate, F, bolted or otherwise secured to the cross-bars, said plate being provided with an elongated slot,

in which the stem of the T-bolt works.

The side rails, G, of the cot-frame are each made in two sections, pivoted at their adjacent ends between the arms of parallel T- plates H and I, which arms also embrace the central crossbars, and have their stems extending downwardly and bolted to said bar, the outer plate, I, being bent and provided with elongated slots for a Tbolt connecting the central cross-bars to the lazy-tongs in the same manner as are the other bars. The pintles H and I constitute a fixed construction between the side rails and the lazy-tong support-that is to say, a connection which, unlike the sliding connections, never changes its position relative to the center of length of the side rails.

Side rails, G. are each provided upon their opposing side faces with longitudinal grooves d, embraced by and guided between rightangular bends e on plates F, and similar bends, f, on plates K, secured to the inner edges of the crossbars O, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These grooves and angle plates constitute What may be termed a sliding connection" between the lazy-tongs support and the side rails of the cot, and a connection which slides longitudinally with reference to the rails.

In this connection it should be observed that the arms of the T-plates H and I only extend up to and not above the plane ofthese grooves, so that the angle-bends in the plates F and K, embracing the side rails, may ride over and upon the T-plates, so as to release the side rails from these plates and fold the cot in the most compact form possible.

Stretched between the side rails when the cot is in its operative position is a suitable textile, or may be a wire fabric, L, which is secured at its side edges to the side rails, Gr, by tacks or other desirable fastening devices, said fabric forming the cot-bottom, which has a suitable head rest, M, of fabric, upheld above the bottom, when in operation, by any Wellknown flexible support adapted to fold compactly with the cot when not in use.

In the construction described and shown it will be observed that as there is a fixed connection between the central cross-bars and the parallel T-plates joining the sectional. side bars and a flexible connection of said bars, there are no disconnected parts in the structure, and the lazy-tongs are free to be folded compactly,or stretched to their utmost length consistent with the required height of the side rails above the floor.

It may also be observed that by connecting the-lazy-tongs and cross-bars together and to the side rails in the manner described not only prevents the twisting of the side rails,before referred to, but makes a fixed limit, beyond which the lazy-tongs cannotbe stretched. and hence preserves a uniform height of the cot at all times, and without any special care on, the part of a person setting up the cot. Instead of making this connection of the crossbars with the side rails by means of the bent plates and longitudinal grooves in the side rails, it would be no departure from my invention to employ eyes on the lazy-tongs or cross-bars running upon side rails, or upon 'rods secured thereto, or to attach the guideplates to the lazy-tongs, instead of the crossbars.

My invention also includes, broadly, substantially the same connection between the folding support and side rails, even if said rails are not sectional or flexibly connected.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the side rails, of a folding support, and a sliding connection between said rails and support, and movable longitudinally on the rails, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a cot, of a folding support and sectional side rails flexibly connected together, with a fixed connection between said rails and support at the center of length of the cot, substantially as described.

3. The folding support and the sectional side rails flexibly connected together, in combination with fixed connection centrally between said rails and support, and at the joint'of the rail-sections, substantially as described.

4. The folding support, the sectional and flexibly-connected side rails, and thefixed connection between said rails and support, in combination with a sliding connection joining the extremities of the folding support with the side rails, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the side rails provided with longitudinal grooves on one or both of their opposing faces, and extending substantially the length of said side rails, of a folding support,and angular plates on the support en gaging with and guided in said grooves, substantially as described.

6. In a folding support, the combination, with the lazy-tongs and the cross-bar connection, of a T-bolt secured to the lazy-tongs,and a slotted plate secured to the cross-banand embracing and forming a bearing for said T- bolt, substantially as described.

7. In a folding support, the combination therewith of the flexible connection,consisting of a slotted plate secured to one member and a T-bolt secured to the other member and bearing in said plate, substantially as described.

CALEB J. BAKER.

Witnesses:

JNo. G. ELLIOTT, W. W. ELLIOTT. 

